


Stop for Just a Moment

by satiricalScythe



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crowley's Time Powers, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Like, M/M, So much fluff you'll DIE, a lot of fluff okay god damn this shit is so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-12-01 23:30:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20934647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satiricalScythe/pseuds/satiricalScythe
Summary: Soon, he would wake up. He would wake up, and then this would be over.Crowley didn't want it to be over.He gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist. The ticking of the clock stopped. The sound of the world outside stopped.The soft beat of a warm heart and the gentle breaths of his angel stopped.It felt so lonely.-Or, Crowley doesn't want his time with Aziraphale to end, so he decides to stop it for a while. Inspired by art linked in the chapter's notes and a conversation in a group chat with fuchsiaring.





	Stop for Just a Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fuchsiaring](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuchsiaring/gifts).

> Inspired by this post: https://curiouslissa.tumblr.com/post/188174854442/inktober-2019-6-clock-stopping-the-night-from
> 
> and fuchsiaring's terrible wonderful mind.

The night after their failed executions, after a lovely trip to the Ritz, Crowley managed to tempt his angel one more time.

It was a surprise to even him, really, when he had voiced the option. "Want me to take you home?" He had asked. "Or... You could come to my place, if you'd like. Maybe stay the night?" Maybe Aziraphale felt as anxious as he did about being alone. Maybe it was something in his eyes that convinced him. Whatever it was, Aziraphale had smiled at him, a small little curl of his lips, and agreed softly, "That sounds lovely, Crowley."

He had been surprised - more than, really. But it was a pleasant sort of surprise, much more pleasant than any of the other surprises he had gotten in the past few days.

The two of them had gotten into the Bentley, which gave a pleased rumble as it came alive under Crowley's hands, and it wasn't long before they were making their way into Crowley's flat, the demon stretching and giving a soft groan. "I feel like I could sleep for a century, Angel," he said with a sigh, running a hand through vivid red hair. Aziraphale was quick to protest, holding up his hands. "Oh, no, don't do that." He paused, then added quietly, "Not without me, at any rate."

The words made Crowley pause, too, and he turned to look at the angel with a hint of surprise on his features. After a moment, he chuckled and said, "Well, you could always join me." The angel opened his mouth, presumably to protest, but then he paused yet again. Something like realization crossed his expression, though Crowley wasn't sure what the realization was.

"I don't know if I could sleep for a century," Aziraphale said tentatively. Crowley's own realization hit him when he met the angel's gaze. There was a hint of hope in the lovely blue gaze, and suddenly Crowley had a sneaking suspicion that he knew what Aziraphale had realized.

"Doesn't have to be a century," Crowley said, a bit quickly. "Could just be the night, if you wanted." He swallowed thickly. Aziraphale fidgeted some, looking back at the demon. "And you wouldn't mind my sharing your bed with you?"

"N - No, not at all."

The angel gave him a shy little smile that made his heart race. "I think I'd like to take you up on that."

It wasn't long after that he found himself lying next to the angel, his heart racing. Aziraphale had miracled himself a comfortable set of pajamas - a t-shirt and soft-looking pajama bottoms with the same tartan pattern he favored, it was about the most casual Crowley had ever seen him - while Crowley had opted for a silky black set of bottoms himself and nothing more - he had even abandoned his glasses to the nightstand. "You sure you don't mind?" He had asked the angel, who simply replied, "Of course not, it's your bed, I'd prefer for you to be comfortable."

Crowley glanced at the clock. It was just past ten, he noted, before returning his gaze to the angel. Aziraphale was laying on his back, his hands folded over his belly. His breathing was even, but Crowley could see the way he occasionally fidgeted with his fingers. The angel was wide awake.

"Angel - "

"Crowley - "

They each broke off, staring at each other, then laughed, the tension broken for the moment. "Go ahead, Angel," Crowley said with a smile, shaking his head in amusement. Aziraphale went a little pink and he hesitated for a moment before finally asking, in an ever-so-soft voice, "May I hold you?" The line clearly startled the demon, and the angel was quick to blurt out, "You have every right to deny me, of course, I know it's an odd request, I just - "

"Yes."

"Pardon?"

"Yes, you can... You can hold me. I want you to." Crowley swallowed thickly, flicking his gaze away. The angel hesitated, then reached out to tentatively cup his cheek. It took everything Crowley had not to reach up and hold it there, but he wasn't able to stop himself from leaning into the touch. "Crowley?" He looked up, meeting Aziraphale's eyes. "Are you sure?" Crowley nodded, swallowed, then said quietly, "Yes, I'm sure. I... I want you to hold me. It'll be..." He grimaced. "Nice. ...Reassuring." His gaze pleaded with the angel to not ask what he needed reassurance _for._

Aziraphale didn't ask. His expression softened and he moved a little closer, extending his arms. Crowley understood and closed the distance, settling into the angel's embrace and tucking his head against the angel's shoulder without encouragement. He slid his arms around the angel's soft form, gladly soaking in his presence, his warmth. They were both quiet for a long while, and that was when Crowley spoke up. "They didn't even give you a trial."

The angel went still for a moment, processing, but then a soft, sad chuckle came from him as one of his hands gently rubbed the demon's back. "I'm afraid I didn't expect much different," he admitted quietly. "Hoped, yes, but expected? No."

"I was so angry, Angel. They wanted you to just get up and walk to your death, without even letting you tell them your side of anything."

"It's alright, Crowley."

"It wasn't!" Crowley protested, tightening his grip just a little. "It wasn't alright, angel. They would have killed you, not even let you defend yourself. It's exactly the kind of bullshit they pulled during the Fall." Aziraphale's hand stilled on his back and Crowley closed his eyes tightly. "Heaven is very black and white, my dear boy," Aziraphale said gently. "You're either loyal to Heaven or you aren't. It isn't fair by any means, but we cannot change them. But Crowley, we made it. We're here. It's alright now."

The words were... Well, Crowley wouldn't say they were reassuring, but they weren't _not_ reassuring. His eyes flew open when he felt the gentle brush of Aziraphale's lips against his forehead. "We're here, Crowley. We're together. And should they come for us again, we'll still face them together."

Now that... that was reassuring. He relaxed, but the angel looked at him meaningfully. "Crowley." Crowley looked at him. "We don't have to worry about them anymore." Aziraphale gave him a gentle squeeze. "We don't have to worry about what they think."

...

_Oh._

Aziraphale's meaning clicked into place and golden eyes widened. "You...? Angel, you mean - "

"We needn't be afraid of being seen together anymore. We don't have to be afraid of what we'll do if we're caught. We're free to just _be,_ Crowley. And if we want... If you want... we can be together."

Crowley had to be dreaming. There was no way this was real. But those twinkling blue eyes, looking at him with hope dancing in them. "Angel," Crowley breathed. "Aziraphale. You have no idea how much I want. But I - are you sure?" The angel's expression brightened and Crowley almost had to look away. "_Yes,_ Crowley. I'm certain. More than anything." Crowley buried his face in the angel's shoulder, holding him tightly. "I'm sorry, perhaps I should have waited until after we'd rested, but I... I needed to say. To tell you."

"No, no, I'm glad you didn't wait. I... It's something I would have wanted to know. That I'm glad to know. I..." The words just wouldn't come. Aziraphale smiled and those lips were pressed against his forehead again. "Let's rest for now. I'd say we earned it. We can speak more after."

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good. Sleep tight, Angel."

"Rest well, my dearest."

And fuck if that didn't set his heart racing all over again.

That was how he found himself waking only a few hours later. Aziraphale's arms were still wrapped snugly around him, the angel's breaths soft and even, the heart of his corporation thumping in a gentle rhythm below his ear. He glanced past the angel, at the clock on his nightstand. Nearly four in the morning. Anxiety struck him at that moment. The sun would be rising soon, and then he would have to get up, to leave the bed where his angel held him tucked against his side like something precious. The clock ticked forward another minute.

Too soon.

Crowley swallowed thickly as he looked at his angel's sleeping face. Aziraphale looked peaceful, content, but in the morning, Crowley was sure, in just a few hours, Aziraphale would wake up, and then he would leave.

Soon, he would wake up. He would wake up, and then this would be over.

Crowley didn't want it to be over.

He gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist. The ticking of the clock stopped. The sound of the world outside stopped.

The soft beat of a warm heart and the gentle breaths of his angel stopped.

It felt so lonely.

Crowley gripped Aziraphale's shirt tightly, eyes burning. Dammit. He needed... He needed more time. Desperately _wanted_ more time. He wanted to lay like this forever, wanted to keep the morning from coming, he wanted...

The demon looked up at Aziraphale, reaching out to cup his still face in his hand. He brushed his thumb over the angel's cheekbone, his gaze flicking down to the angel's lips, remembering the soft, innocent press of them against his forehead. He swallowed thickly, lowering his head to nuzzle into the angel's chest.

Crowley had never understood why God had placed that damned apple tree where it was easy to get to. Why would you bother putting something someone can't have right in front of them? It was _asking_ them to be tempted.

Looking at Aziraphale, he had a very similar question.

_But you can have him,_ said a quiet voice in the back of his mind. _He said himself. You can be together._

That was the question, wasn't it? Had Aziraphale been saying they could be together, or had he been saying they could _be_ together, as in exist together? Crowley wasn't sure. He was afraid to ask. He would have to ask in the morning, which meant allowing the morning to come.

The morning coming meant that Aziraphale would go.

"Why did you agree to come here, Angel?" Crowley asked his still form gently, his voice muffled by the angel's soft chest. "I don't understand." He didn't understand, and he was afraid. More than afraid, really, he was downright terrified. He squeezed his eyes shut as though to deny the tears that were suddenly spilling from them. He gripped Aziraphale's shirt tightly, doing his best to cease his traitorous body's trembling.

His head found itself against Aziraphale's chest again and he took a shaky breath, listening to the sound of - 

"Crowley?"

The angel's voice reached his ears at the same time as he registered the sound of Aziraphale's heartbeat. A glance at the clock revealed it was two minutes past when he had stopped time. He must have lost his hold on it. Crowley inhaled sharply, closing his eyes tightly once again. Aziraphale shifted beneath him and Crowley waited to be pushed off, but instead, the angel only drew him closer, his hand finding its way into the demon's fiery hair and carding gently through it. "Crowley, dear, what's wrong?"

The demon considered not answering, he really did. Instead, he said, voice choked, "I don't want this to end. ...I don't... I don't want you to go."

Perhaps Aziraphale didn't realize what he had done, but he did understand what he meant. "Oh, Crowley... Crowley, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here, my dear, and I'm not going anywhere." He held him gently, but firmly, fingers still running soothingly through his hair. Crowley couldn't help it. He gave a sharp sob, gripping the angel's shirt tightly. "But... But what if..."

"No, dearest, no what if's. I'm here. We've waited long enough to get here, I'll hardly be throwing that away any time soon."

"I love you."

The words pierced the room like an arrow, striking them both into silence. Crowley tightened his grip on the angel, awaiting his reaction as his breath hitched. "Oh, _Crowley,_" Aziraphale said, and this was it, Crowley had misunderstood when Aziraphale had said they could be together, he was going to push him away and - "I love you too, Crowley. I love you so much. Please don't doubt that, Crowley."

The demon looked up with round eyes, surprised, and Aziraphale seemed startled by his surprise. "Crowley, of course I love you. I'm sorry, it seems I haven't made my feelings nearly clear enough. I'd thought I had, but - "

"You did. I just... I wasn't sure if I... If I were reading into things because... I wanted them to be there." The confession spilled out in a rush and Aziraphale's expression softened. He leaned in and pressed his lips gently to Crowley's. The demon inhaled sharply and Aziraphale pulled back, but Crowley quickly closed the distance again. The kiss was still brief, but Crowley had gotten the point across - it had been wanted, and it had been reciprocated. Aziraphale smiled at him.

"Will you... In the morning, will you stay?" Crowley asked, voice trembling just a bit. Aziraphale pressed their lips together once again. "Of course I will, Crowley. I told you, dearest. I'm not going anywhere."

Crowley relaxed and a tentative smile curled his lips. Aziraphale pulled him close, cradling his head against his shoulder and resting his own head on Crowley's. "We'll be alright, my dear. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere." Crowley believed him. He smiled again, nuzzling into the crook of Aziraphale's neck. "I love you, Crowley."

"I love you, too." The demon closed his eyes, finally soothed. They would be alright. After all, they were together.

And as long as they had any say in it, they always would be.


End file.
